As of June 23, 2023, the information in this article is still valid.

Required Materials

• A Google account for the Chinese region: If it is not a Chinese region account, you will not be able to pass the real-name verification after registration. The author initially registered with a US account and found that only government-issued documents from the US could be used for real-name verification, and the country could not be changed. (How to determine if it is a Chinese region account? The phone number is the standard.)
• A registration fee of $25;
• A credit or debit card with Visa/Mastercard/Express. If you cannot obtain one domestically, you can use a virtual credit card. From what I understand, the American Express physical card issued in partnership with Industrial Bank, the virtual credit card from depay, and N26 can all complete the payment of the registration fee;
• A resident ID card or passport.

Application Process

First, enter incognito mode in your browser. If you are using Chrome, you can press Ctrl+Shift+N to open incognito mode.

Please note that for options related to country or region, always select China, unless you have a valid document issued by a foreign government (such as a green card or passport).

Open the registration link, and enter your basic information. Most of the information entered during the registration phase can be modified after creation, so there is no need to worry too much. Just register as you would for a domestic website.

After successful payment, you will be required to complete real-name verification, which can be done using your ID card.

When I verified, I filled in the legal name in pinyin and submitted my ID card, which completed the verification.

Post-Registration Considerations

• Do not leave this account idle for a long time, as it may be deemed a dormant account and face the risk of deletion, with no refund of the registration fee.
• Do not upload prohibited applications; be sure to read the guidelines carefully.

Payment Collection

On the Google Play platform, you can use nobepay for payment collection, or you can use an overseas bank account. If using a domestic bank, you need to reach $100 for wire transfer, and the fees are not cheap.

Some Unexpected Solutions

• If you find that you registered with a US account and cannot complete real-name verification: Contact customer service to request account deletion and a refund.